How much rain is too much rain? For the Edmonton Elks the question doesn't even matter, apparently.
In front of 14,664 fans at Commonwealth Stadium, the Edmonton Elks hosted the Montréal Alouettes for a soggy Saturday afternoon tilt that featured Mother Nature in all her glory, the second such game for the Edmonton Elks this season. With rain pouring sideways at times, the weather was unfavorable for both teams as they attempted to keep their undefeated titles alive in Week 3 of the Canadian Football Season.
TAILGATE TALK
The Edmonton Elks Tailgate Party was alive and well despite the conditions, rain starting at 8AM and unrelenting throughout the entire day. Spirits and confidence were high amongst Green and Gold fans, rain and wind failing to deter the hardcores. With the stage set and all activations firing, the Party started 2 hours before kickoff, a band roaring as fans visited eachother with a red solo cup in hand.
This year we started our Herdy's Pop-Up with a bang, debuting Herdy's International to the full extent with Pulled Pork Poutine in honour of Canada and the unofficial national dish. It was great talking to all our fellow fans and as expected, we ran out of food early in the day. SpEEker's Corner was also a hit, with pictures taken in front of the iconic Commonwealth Stadium making for a fun fan-fueled momento.
GAME RECAP
https://youtu.be/1WdP0jTRshM?si=ozTJaTmi4yNVcOWF
3 THOUGHTS
1. Complimentary football wasn't so Complimentary. While the Elks did win the turnover battle, they also left many points on the board by failing to capitalize to the maximum. 2 Montréal fumbles in the 4th quarter saw the Elks only 3 points extra, an area the team can work on going forward.
2. Lots of drops and fumbles. Cody Fajardo completed 19 of 29 passes, the rain playing a factor on the missed catches. Montréal fumbled 3 balls to Edmonton's 2, 5 total on the day thanks to the slick conditions.
3. Fans that showed were treated to a hell of a game. The soggy climate deterred quite a few fans and even pushed some to the concourse and concessions to watch the game, the overhang seats filling up quickly as people scrambled to stay dry. The reward? A Cody Fajardo hand-off fake-and-rush to seal a victory for the Elks in Overtime, a memorable win that may signal the beginning of something bigger in Edmonton.
https://twitter.com/i/status/2068477573793984655
THE POINT AFTER
Please keep in mind that we posted the 3 Thoughts as we were shivering our way out of the stadium. This point after is nothing but positive, as the team we're watching has broken the 0-2 streak after 7 years of futility.
In the post-game locker room speech Cody Fajardo said something powerful: "This organization wins now." While Cody Fajardo didn't have a perfect game, he did manage 1 touchdown by air and another by ground, his game-sealing run cementing his status as a big-game quarterback. In addition to his regular duties, Fajardo could be found blocking for the likes of RB Justin Rankin, putting his own body on the line for his teammates, extra efforts making a direct impact on the score board.
Speaking of Justin Rankin, his cheat code status remains intact as he rushed 18 times for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 5 catches for 51 yards for 230 all-purpose yards on the day. 1000 rushing yards and 1000 passing yards is still in reach for the star running back. WR Austin Mack caught the lone passing touchdown, one of 4 passes caught from 8 targets for 48 yards on the day. Mack also had a spectacular catch amongst 4 defending Alouettes early in the game, a highlight during a battle for field position.
On the other side of the ball, the defense played well throughout most of the game, the final minutes of the 4th Quarter allowing the Alouettes to come back and force Overtime. DB JJ Ross forced a fumble in this game, DB Chelen Garnes made a big impact with 6 tackles and one fumble recovery, the other fumble recovery from the hands of DB Kordell Jackson who also had a great showing with 5 tackles of his own. DB Tyrell Ford also had a rebound game with 6 defensive tackles and LB Nick Anderson brought the boom with 5 heavy hits.
Special teams did a great job as well, K Vincent Blanchard going perfect on the day with 2 field goals and 2 extra points, his longest field goal being a 36-yard kick. P Jake Julien elevated his game this week with 7 punts for 361 yards with an average of 51.4 yards per punt, a 62 yard boot being his biggest punt. RB Javon Leake struggled on punts but showed better on kick return duties with 3 returns for 78 yards.
THE FAN SIDE
What is there not to like about this team right now? The Edmonton Elks are gritty, they're competitive, and they can ball out in the rain. Fajardo shows true leadership, a quality the team has been missing for quite some time. Head Coach Mark Kilam is instilling belief in this team and each player is, for the most part, playing for one another as the in-between plays and extra efforts are starting to be noticed by fans and pundits alike. These last two wins have displayed the power of 3 phases firing all at once, and while each phase may not be perfect they are all working in harmony to generate winning results on the scoreboard. The best part? We haven't even seen what this team can do in dry conditions as the Elks are constantly facing bad weather games through the opening stretch of CFL Regular Season.
UP NEXT: EDMONTON ELKS @ WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS JUNE 25TH 2026
The Double E will jump on a plane Wednesday to face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday, the first game on the CFL schedule this week for a tight turnaround. The Bombers are coming off a bye week and after a loss last week the Blue and Gold will be hungry for a win in front of their fans, another rainy affair potentially on deck for the Elks who are veterans of bad weather at this point of the season. Expect a running back shootout as Brady Oliveira welcomes Justin Rankin back to Princess Auto Stadium for what will surely be an exciting Western Division matchup for the first time this year for the Green and Gold.
Buckle Up Elks Fans!
